Android Industries LLC

International Wheel & Tire Company

International Wheel and Tire, Inc.

Patrick W Zoller

David Henry Larson

John Edward Donnay

Lawrence J Lawson

Robert Reece

Joshua J Hicks

Peter L Gross

Kevin R Kerwin

Todd Allen Campbell

Gregory J Masserang

Netresh U Rege

James Thomas-Charles Krom

Erik L McClain

Marc A Walters

Kristopher J Walters, Jr

Jeffrey N Skomski

Todd A Campbell

Kristopher J Walters

Erik L Mcclain

John Donnay

A feed and cutting unit for selectively cutting and dispensing individual weight material segments from a common strip of backing material is disclosed. The feed and cutting unit comprises a feed assembly, a sensor and a cutter member. The feed assembly includes a drive roller and a follower roller that frictionally engages first and second surfaces of a strip of weight material to selectively move the strip of weight material to a cutter member. The sensor is connected to a controller and measures an amount of segmented weight material on the backing material as the strip of weight material moves past the sensor. The cutter member is actuated to separate weight material segments from the backing material by cutting at least a portion of the backing material in a gap disposed between adjacent segments. Weight apply devices that receive the segments for application to an imbalanced member, are also disclosed.

Weight material cutting, dispensing and applying systems

An inflator apparatus for inflating more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is disclosed. The inflator apparatus includes a support structure; an interface portion rotatably-attached to the support structure, wherein the interface portion includes a plurality of inflator heads, wherein each inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads includes a fluid inlet; a plunger portion movably-connected to the support structure, wherein the plunger portion is movably-connected to the support structure to permit selectively coupling of the plunger portion with one inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads; and a fluid conduit connected to the plunger portion, wherein the fluid conduit is fluidly connectable with the fluid inlet of the one inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads. A system for processing more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is also disclosed. A method for utilizing an inflator apparatus for inflating more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is also disclosed.

Inflator apparatus, system and method for utilizing the same

An apparatus for processing an un-inflated tire-wheel assembly for forming an inflated tire-wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm forming a pair of robotic arms; an assembling end effecter attached to the first robotic arm; and an inflating end effecter attached to the second robotic arm, wherein the assembling end effecter is indirectly interfaceable with the inflating end effecter by way of the un-inflated tire-wheel assembly. One or more methods are also disclosed. One or more components are also disclosed. One or more systems are also disclosed.

Apparatus, methods, components, and systems for assembling and/or inflating a tire-wheel assembly

An installation tool for mounting a tire to a wheel, the tire and wheel defining a central axis, the tire having opposing annular sides and two circumferential beads that define an opening through the opposing annular sides and the wheel having shoulders for receiving the circumferential bead, the installation tool comprising a shoe having an upper axial side, a lower axial side and an outer radial side, wherein the shoe includes a beveled transition zone that extends across at least a part of at least one of the upper axial side and the outer radial side, the beveled transition zone defining a bead drawing surface that mounts the bead of the tire to the shoulder of the wheel when rotatable movement is introduced between the tire and the shoe.

Tire installation tool

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Patrick W Zoller